Trapped
by ashactually
Summary: Zeref wants to die. However, the only way for that to happen is to have Natsu be the one to kill him. When he doesn't think Natsu is capable of it, he tries to find new ways to 'motivate' him. But just how far will Zeref go? WARNING: Disturbing content such as torture and rape throughout chapters (Nalu in later chapters)
1. Motivation

A/N | I went back and edited the first 5 chapters of this story when I realized they weren't that great and I was completely inconsistent with tenses. Nothing major changed but if you're rereading and notice some things are different that is why. Also, if there are still tense problems, I apologize, It wasn't easy going through the chapters and translating everything to the correct tense and I probably missed a few. Anyway, please enjoy the story!

 **Warning: This story will contain very graphic and/or disturbing material such as torture and rape. If that kind of stuff freaks you out then this story probably isn't for you.**

" _Tick tick tock, our lives are on the clock._

 _I greatly fear the end is near._

 _Tick tick tock"_

Everything was dark. Even with my enhanced eyesight, I still couldn't see a single thing within the blackness of my surroundings. But what did it really matter? Even if I could somehow see two inches in front of me, I'd only be met with a blank wall. Four blank walls to be exact. Four blank walls that were way too close together for a male my size to fit comfortably in. I had been stuck in this cramped space for Mavis knows how long, and my body and brain were both sick of it. Hell, I was sick of it from day one. I rubbed my wrists against the cuffs that had restrained them since day one. It was a habit that I had learned kept me sane, but also reminded me of why I wore them. They cut off my ability to use magic, which had been fan fucking tastic.

I heard a banging come from my left side, which I presumed to be the door, and heard someone fiddling with keys and a lock. This had happened every day since I was thrown in here. Each day a guard came to my little hole in the wall and lead me out into the most cliché torture chamber I had ever seen. Like those types in scary movies with chains hanging on the walls, a toolkit of various contraptions that sort of looked like they belonged in a dentist's office, and of course, a little cot type bed thing that was in the middle of the room that had huge straps to hold you down.

I called that room the 'MP' or 'Main Pain' room because that was generally where they liked to inflict the most pain upon their subject. There were other rooms that branched off and were used for other methods of torture, and I had been to my fair share of them, but the MP room was the usual destination.

Each day of torture was different, with the next day always being worse than the previous one. In all honesty, it would probably be much easier to just give in. To let the pain consume me and finally just let go. But I couldn't. I made a promise to someone, and I couldn't break that promise, even if my whole body felt like it was going to crumble at any second. It was agonizing, but they hadn't ruined me yet.

My spirit was still there.

The key fiddling finally stopped and my little closet suddenly flooded with light. It took a second for my eyes to adjust, and when they finally did I found myself being dragged - rather forcefully - down a hallway. Soon I would find myself strapped, chained, or hanged to a bed, wall or ceiling, and then spend the next many hours trying not to scream in pain. Yay for routine.

Instead of going straight as the guards always do, they veered me to the right through an archway that led to a different labyrinth of hallways.

I looked around confused before rasping out, "Uhh… where exactly are we going? Like I'm completely cool with skipping the whole torture thing b-"

The guard on my left interrupted me, "Oi shut it Pinky. You'll see where we are taking you very shortly," He said, staring straight ahead the whole time. And I wasn't completely sure, but I swear I could see the faintest hint of a smirk spread across his lips.

After that I shut up, seeing it completely pointless to struggle. With my current state of malnutrition, cuts and bruises, and utter exhaustion, I had no chance of struggling out of their grip and making a miraculous escape. So, I let them continue to drag me until we reached the end of a mysterious new hallway. At the end of the hallway lied a dingy door that looked like it was about to fall off of its hinges at any second. The guards opened the door and shoved me inside, my lack of strength causing me to tumble to the floor. When I craned my neck upwards, I noticed that I was crouched in front of a very large, expensive desk.

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here. I'd like to welcome you Natsu, but the fact that you have been here a little over three months makes me feel as if a welcome would be a tad too late. I certainly hope you've enjoyed your stay here in my little funhouse." The man at the desk said in a surprisingly charming manner. He sounded so at ease as if he gave this speech every day and could recite it in his sleep.

A guard came up behind me and made me stand, all the while restraining me so I wouldn't do anything to the stranger behind the desk.

"I am dearly sorry that I haven't formally introduced myself, although you might have already heard of me, you see I am a very busy man and don't have much time to go around and greet all of my guests." I still couldn't see his whole face, which was concealed in a dark shadow that only covered his eyes and nose. I could see his mouth though, and I did not like how happy he seemed to be talking to me like we were old pals meeting up after years of separation.

I chuckled in the back of my throat and said, "Guests? That's what you consider the people here? I think prisoners are a more appropriate term for what we are."

The man behind the desk stood up and I could finally see all of his features.

Zeref.

I honestly wished I could say I was surprised.

"Well Natsu, that may be true, but things were about to change around here. No more will I torture you. Yes see, I think you've had quite enough of all that physical pain, and I need you strong for what I plan to do with you." Zeref's face had a gleeful childlike expression on it, and I knew that what he was about to say would not be as joyful for me as it was for him.

"What are you gonna do to me?" I tried to keep my voice strong and steady, but I couldn't hide the fear-laced between each word.

"Ah, I am so glad you asked." Zeref said, starting to pace back and forth. "Well, my dear boy what I want is for you to kill me. See I am technically immortal, and what I want more than anything is to die. And _you_ are the only one capable of doing this. However, I don't think you will be able to reach your full power against me unless you despise me with your entire being. Now, that was why I tortured you for three months, so you would have a greater motive to want me dead. However, I just don't think that was enough. So starting today, we are going to try a new," He fumbled a little bit, trying to find the right word, "technique."

It was official. This man was actually insane. He wanted me to kill him? I'd gladly do that; he didn't need to ask me twice. But the only problem was I could barely stand on my own in my current state.

"Now, starting today you will be able to eat like a king, to build up your strength again. You will also be allowed to train in a room I made just for this occasion. No more physical pain will be unleashed upon you, unless necessary." Zeref was smiling at me and nodding his head making sure I was keeping up. Something he said irked me though.

I look him straight in the eyes for the first time, "You keep saying 'physical pain'. What do you mean by that?"

Zeref's mouth twisted into a sinister smile. "You caught that, did you? Well, there will no longer be any pain inflicted on you're body, so basically no more of what has been occurring these past few months. However, I can't quite say the same for your mental being. See, with this new technique of mine, there was one more component that was needed. Since we will no longer be torturing you, that will take away some of your motive. Therefore, we need a new motive." He moved over to a door that was in the back of the room and knocked three times. "Bring her out."

The door creaked open and another guard walked through it, dragging someone behind him. The person seemed to be accepting what was happening, not even trying to struggle away. When they finally came into the light, my heart stopped.

It was Lucy. My Lucy.

Questions started racing through my head a mile a minute.

 _Why was she here? Is she okay? How long has she been here? Have they done to her what they did to me? Have they done worse?_

Lucy looked over in my direction and her eyes widened in terror. "Natsu! What are you doing here?"

I struggled in the guard's grip, wanting so badly to just reach out to her.

She's here. Lucy was here. Mavis, why did _she_ of all people have to be here?

Once I got over the shock of seeing her, I looked over her entire body.

She looked terrible.

She had been here a while. Her body was noticeably thinner, and the bruises and cuts marking her porcelain skin were hard to ignore. It even looked like one of her legs was bent in the wrong direction. And of course, there were two dark cuffs covering both of her wrists.

I hated him. He was the worst scum on this planet. He wanted me to kill him? Fine. I'd do it right now. No one got away with torturing my friend like that. Especially Lucy. Torturing me was one thing, but when you go after someone close to me, begging to die was completely unnecessary.

"Let her go." My voice was shaky but rough, and I know it was loud enough for Zeref to hear me.

"Why would I do that? She has been a guest here just as long as you." I flinched at that statement. So they didn't all get away. I failed. "And I can't get rid of her now that she's needed more than ever." Zeref walked over and caressed Lucy's cheek, looking down at her like he just found a new puppy. Lucy flinched away from his hand in disgust, and I thought to myself that Zeref didn't really need that hand anymore.

"Don't touch her!" I shouted at him, making my voice as threatening as I could. I tried again to worm my way out of the guard's grip so I could strangle Zeref right then and there. Zeref smirked and yanked Lucy off the ground by her arm. She didn't make a sound, but I could see the agony in her eyes from being grabbed. He brought his chair in front of his desk and sat in it, placing Lucy right on his lap. He moved her matted hair to one side and ran his fingertips along the length of her exposed neck. Lucy started to shake, fear evident on her face.

"Let her go! She has nothing to do with this!" I was screaming and using all of my force to wriggle away from the guard. I couldn't stand to just sit back and watch him touch her like that. My attempt at freedom was almost a success, but another guard came in and helped restrain one of my arms. Now with a guard on each arm, I was completely immobile. I looked back to Zeref and tried to plead with my eyes, "Please just let her go. I'll do what you want, gladly, but you don't need her here for that." I sounded pretty pathetic, but I'd do whatever it took to get her out of here safely.

Zeref shook his head and smiled at me once again. "Like I said before Natsu, I can't do that. She's a very important part of my whole plan. Without her, it won't succeed." He set his gaze back to Lucy, and there was something in his eyes that looked almost predatory.

I was scared to ask, but he wouldn't tell me otherwise, "Why do you need her so badly?"

Zeref chuckled and looked up slowly. He reached behind him and grabbed something out from the back of his pants. Lucy gasped and started shaking harder than before. My body went rigid, and my breathing completely stopped.

He pulled out a gun. And he was pointing said gun straight at Lucy's temple.

"Why, I need her for your motivation of course." Zeref smiled sweetly and cocked the gun.

"NO!" I started struggling once again, barely even thinking.

The only response I got was the sound of a gunshot echo through the room.

* * *

Alrighty, chapter one done! I have wanted to write this story for a while but I kept procrastinating, and just recently I figured out how I want the story to progress and maybe even end.

This is the first fanfiction that I have ever written and will commit to. I had another one, but I didn't think it out as well so it kind of flunked.

Constructive criticism was welcome and encouraged (as long as you bastards keep it civil) Or if you just like this story please let me know!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters; the only thing that was mine was the story.

XoxoAsh


	2. Missing

" _Ding Dong Ding Dong, the two were lost and long gone._

 _Alert the town, look all around._

 _Ding Dong Ding Dong."_

 **/Three Months Ago/**

The guild was quiet. Too quiet. There were no fights going on, and no bantering between any of the guildmates. It all just seemed rather bland. Weird. I was still contemplating the reason behind this sudden change in behavior when Mira walked over. She sat on the bar stool next to me and waved a hand in front of my face.

"Hello master, are you okay? You look troubled." Mira said, her forehead all scrunched up with worry.

I nodded at her, "Oh I'm fine. I was just trying to figure out why the guild seemed so quiet." She looked at me with eyebrows raised and let out a bark of laughter. "What's so funny?" I asked, baffled by her sudden change in character.

She was still giggling when she said, "Of course it's quiet, Natsu and the team aren't here. They left for a mission yesterday." Ah, that explained it. Without that group here, things did tend to be a bit quieter.

I chuckled, feeling a little foolish I didn't notice it sooner. "What was the mission?" Mira shrugged and walked behind the bar. She pulled out the book that held the record of the missions guild members took. She started flipping through pages until she reached the one with the information about Natsu's team on it.

"Here it is. Apparently, it was just some bandits that needed to be taken care of. Pretty basic. It's not too far away, only a few towns over, so they should probably be back tonight or tomorrow morning." Mira closed the book and headed back to the stool next to mine.

"And all four of them went? Sounds like an easy job. Why did they all go?" I didn't mean to be nosy, but it sounded kind of strange.

"Well, the job required a fire mage, so Natsu naturally took it, and we both know he takes Lucy with him everywhere." Mira sighed at that statement, and I swear I could see actual hearts in her eyes. "And as for Erza and Gray, I think they both just needed some extra money."

"Weird that a job for bandits required a specific type of mage." I continued, thinking how odd the whole situation was.

"Maybe the bandits had magic that was weakened by fire," Mira stated, and though I still thought it was strange, I dropped the subject. We sat next to each other for a few more minutes until Mira jumped out of her seat with a high-pitched squeak.

"Oh master, I forgot to tell you, a letter came today from the council. I think it had something to do with destruction and money. I left it on your desk whenever you want to take a look at it." Mira smiled sweetly at me as if what she said was not the most frustrating thing ever. I mean really? Again? Why couldn't the council just lay off for once and stop being a pain in my ass? Either that or these stupid brats needed to stop destroying stuff. I mean, was it really that hard?

"Thank you, Mira, I'll look right into that," I said through my teeth, trying to hide my aggravation as much as possible.

I stood up to go back to my office when the guild doors slammed open, and a stream of gasps echoed throughout the Guildhall.

In the doorway stood a beaten and bloody Gray, carrying an even more beaten and bloody Erza - who also appeared to be passed out.

Gray stumbled through the door, almost dropping Erza, and slumped into the nearest chair he could find. All at once, the entire guild sprung into action. Jet and Droy took Erza from Gray, carrying her into the infirmary in the back. Wendy followed behind them, shaking slightly, but putting on a brave face. Surprisingly, Juvia wasn't freaking out over Gray's condition. Instead, she was fussing over him, trying to figure out just how hurt he was, and it was the first time Gray didn't put up a fight against her. Once her analysis of his injuries was over she looked out at everyone and confidently stated, "Juvia thinks the worst is a broken arm, but other than that it's all just bruising and cuts. Juvia thinks for now, while Wendy is working on Erza, we need to just bandage him up a little." Mira nodded and disappeared behind the bar. She came back only seconds later with a huge first aid kit in her hand.

I still hadn't moved this entire time, shock refusing my body to budge. It was just bandits. Why would they come back beaten so badly if they were just fighting bandits?

The next ten minutes consisted of Juvia, Mira, and Levy all helping to fix Gray up for the time being. He didn't complain or say anything the entire time, just sat there with the occasional grunt of pain. After he was mostly bandaged and Mira grabbed him some water, I told everyone to skedaddle so that I could talk to him one on one without him feeling crowded. Most everyone listened, but Mira, Levy, Juvia, Gajeel, and the few people in the infirmary remained. I gave them a hard glare, but they all just shook their heads and took a set around Gray. I sighed but saw no point in trying to make them leave.

Gray's head was down, his eyes cast to the floor, completely avoiding everyone's gaze. "Hey, Gray, would you like to tell us what in Mavis's name happened?" I didn't want to be too harsh on him, but I needed answers.

Gray just shook his head, still looking at the ground.

"Gray, we need to know what happened to you. Talk to us."

Again, Gray shook his head. I was about to walk over there and shake the answers out of him myself when I noticed that it wasn't just his head shaking. His whole body was jerking rather violently, and he was making soft gasping noises.

He was crying. Well, sobbing was probably a more accurate word.

"They're gone. Both of them. He has both of them, and I have no fucking idea where he took them." Gray whispered, still looking at the ground.

"Who has who? What are you talking about Gray?" I softened my voice, trying not to upset him even more.

He finally looked up, his eyes wide and red, tears spilling down his cheeks. "Natsu and Lucy dumbass! He took them! He beat the shit out of us, and then decided he wanted them two as a souvenir!" His voice cracked on that last sentence, and he hung his head once again.

"Natsu and Lucy were kidnapped?" Mira's voice shook, her face showing a look of bafflement. Levy had her head in her hands and seemed to be silently crying, while Gajeel put an arm around her for comfort. Juvia was just staring at Gray intently, her face completely blank. I didn't know what to make of this news. Two of my children were gone - no - kidnapped, and two others were beaten to a pulp. I was completely bewildered. I stepped over to Gray and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Can you try and tell us what happened. It can be brief, but we need something." Gray looked at me, the sadness evident in his tired eyes. He looked at the small group of people around him and then gave a slight nod.

He cleared his throat and quietly started rambling. "Well the job was supposed to be an easy one, it was supposed to be easy money. Natsu said that it was only for him and Lucy, but Erza and I needed some extra cash. Lucy convinced him it would be fun for the whole team to go, so he finally gave in. Erza was kind of skeptical when she saw the flyer and saw that an easy job like this required a certain type of mage. She told us it might be a trap." Gray huffed a laugh and looked at the people surrounding him. "From now on, I say we listen to Erza because she's usually right."

I squeezed his shoulder, silently telling him to continue the story.

He scrunched up his face slightly before he said, "Natsu told her to lighten up. She was antsy the whole way there but didn't say anything again. So we finally arrive and go to the mayor yada yada yada, basic mission procedure. The mayor was kind of weird about the whole thing. He knew where the bandit's hideout was and everything, and didn't even seem freaked out about having bandits in his town. That's when I got suspicious. Erza and I shared a look after he spoke with us but never voiced out concerns with the group. We never really got a chance since Natsu, being the overexcited dimwit he is, ran to the hideout without us even making a plan. Shocker, I know," A laugh escaped Gray's mouth at the memory, a grimace now settled on his face.

"When we got to the hideout, it was empty. We thought maybe they were just doing robbing or whatever so we waited it out. After a while, I got bored and said I was going to scout the area to see if they were anywhere around. During that time I got lost. I roamed the woods for about twenty minutes when I finally saw an explosion. Knowing Natsu's fire better than anyone, I knew the bandits must have returned and the fight had begun." Gray took a deep breath and picked up the glass of water with shaky hands. He took a few gulps and sighed before setting the glass down once again.

"So I followed the light of Natsu's fire amping myself up for a fight, but when I got there it was not the bandits I was expecting." Gray continued, his words starting to slur together the more he talked. "There were these huge demon-like creatures. There were about twelve of them. Erza was taking on four of them at once while Natsu was taking on six of them. Lucy was fighting the other two, but I could tell they were all struggling. I joined the fight, feeling like shit I wasn't there to help when it began. We all fought but eventually, Lucy got knocked out by one of the demon things throwing a rock at her head. Natsu flipped and started throwing fireballs everywhere. Then Erza was overpowered, one of the demon guys having stolen one of her swords. It eventually stabbed her through the shoulder, and when she was down," Gray exhaled very loudly before muttering, "he started to strangle her. When I noticed what was happening I shot him with an ice arrow. It knocked him off her but didn't bring him down. I ran over to Erza and saw she was passed out.

Then 'he' came out of the woods, dressed in all black. He started talking to the demon people and they began to stand down. I was too far away to hear what he was saying, but him and Natsu were talking, and Natsu looked like he was about to explode. The mystery guy went over to Lucy and grabbed her by the throat, saying something else. Natsu looked at me then, and shouted 'Run!' I stayed for a few seconds not wanting to leave them here, but he had the most serious look on his face."

Gray had begun to tremble again, his eyes widening as if he was watching the scene play out before him. "I don't think I've ever seen him so determined. The look in his eyes was so hard I couldn't not listen to him. When he shouted 'Take Erza and run!' I immediately grabbed Erza and sprinted away. I didn't see but rather felt the heat from Natsu's attack as I ran away. As I fucking ran away. I looked back once again, to see Natsu face down on the ground, and him and Lucy being dragged away. And then I kept running. I turned around and ran like a fucking scaredy cat. And now I'm here." Gray started crying once again, with his head turned toward the ground.

"It's okay Gray, It's not your fault. Any of us would have run in that situation, and we won't judge you for it." I was trying to keep my voice low and calming, but I didn't think anything could calm him down right now.

Gray scoffed, "Natsu wouldn't have run. If he were in that situation, he wouldn't have run. He would have fought until everyone was back safely or he would have died trying. He would have stayed." Gray cursed at himself, rubbing his hands over his face in frustration.

Everyone in the room was silent, myself included. I didn't think any of us had the right words to say to him. The only thing I could do was ask one last question that was bothering me. "Gray who was the man that took Lucy and Natsu? You still haven't clarified his identity."

Gray kept his head down and shook his head

"Gray, who was it?" I pushed, needing to know.

"I have no idea." Gray breathed, finally looking up. The room was silent.

I lean my head back and sighed, "What do you mean you don't know?" I tried to keep my voice even but some anger slipped through.

Gray shrugged, looking at me in desperation, "It was so dark, and I was so far away. I barely had time to see the guy before Natsu yelled at me to run."

The raw fear in his voice brought me back, my anger dissipating. I shouldn't blame Gray, he did what he could.

Surprisingly, Gajeel stepped forward and yelled out, "Well, then there's only two things to do. We gotta find Salamander and Bunny Girl, and then demolish that poor bastard who took them in the first place."

I couldn't agree more. I went to the back of the guild and stood on the bar.

"Listen up brats, we are going to work day and night to track down Natsu and Lucy. We won't rest until our family is found. We have to hold on to the hope that they are okay, and that we will find them in the best condition possible. Gray, you can't beat yourself up about this, we need your help looking as well. None of us blame you, even though you blame yourself. However, now's not the time to weep about what you could have done, now's the time to stand up and do as much as you can for your friends. There is no 'if we find them' there's only 'when we find them'. Because we are _Fairy Tail_ , and we don't know the meaning of 'give up'. Now stop with all the sad crap, and start working!"

The few guildmates that were there shouted with enthusiasm and went to work. I'd tell the rest of the guild about this tomorrow. I needed everyone's help to find them, especially as we were starting with no clues as to where they could be. But we would find them.

We just had to.

 **/ Present Day/**

Zeref was hunched over, cackling like a hyena.

He had shot Lucy in the foot. At the last second, he had angled the gun down so it wouldn't go through her skull like he wanted me to believe. I was relieved, but also not. I mean thank Mavis she's alive, but she still had a bullet in her foot, which was not good whatsoever. She was also crying, and I couldn't stand to watch Lucy cry, especially when it was out of pain.

"Ha, you-you-you should have seen-s-seen your face!" Zeref wheezed out, his words stuttering from how hard he was still laughing. "Ahh, that was good. I can't believe you thought I'd kill her just like that. I mean, I just told you she was important, and I don't kill important things." Zeref smiled cynically at me."Well, not right away at least." He brushed his fingertips against Lucy's forearm, as to which she responded by flinching away from him. His smile faltered at that little flinch, but he covered it up quickly. "Yes, I think I'll keep her around for quite a while."

He turned his attention back to me and started rubbing his hands together. "Well Natsu, that was just a little sneak peek for what's coming. Yes, that was, let's say a little teaser trailer for what you're to expect." He stared at me from behind Lucy, his breath still hitting her neck. A small smile spreads across his face as he muttered, "Why, this is only the beginning my dear friend." He stood abruptly, grabbing Lucy by the arm. She screeched out but didn't fight him as he dragged her towards the door she came through.

"Lucy!" I shouted, trying to fight against the two brutes restraining me.

Zeref reached for the door, but before he closed it, snapped his fingers. "Boys, please escort Natsu back to his quarters."

Zeref directed his line of vision back to me and gave one last smirk. "The real fun starts tomorrow."

* * *

Alright, a bit of an information dump, but I just wanted to fill y'all in on what was happening at the guild.

Again, constructive criticism and reviews were welcomed with open arms. Or if you just like this story, let me know so I feel motivated to continue.

Hope you enjoyed reading and I hope you continue to read

XoxoAsh


	3. Let's Begin

" _Clink, clatter, clank, your hope has all but sank._

 _Without a doubt you'll scream and shout._

 _Clink, clatter, clank."_

The sound of keys jangling together jolted my attention towards the door. I didn't get a wink of sleep last night, the events that happened only hours before replaying in my head like a broken record. The look on Lucy's face when she got shot in the foot was now permanently imprinted in mind, and the shudder in her body when Zeref touched her was all I could see when I closed my eyes. These things were still racing through my mind when the door finally opened with two guards staring daggers at me.

"Come on lad, we were here to escort you to breakfast. As long as you don't make a fuss, we have direct orders not to lay a finger on you." The bigger one said, not even trying to hide the annoyance in his voice. I stared at him blankly, not completely trusting the words that just escaped his mouth. Escort me? To Breakfast? I must've been hallucinating. It was only the other day these guys were beating me with a baseball bat, and now they were claiming that they're here to _escort_ me to _breakfast_. Yeah, sure, likely story buddy.

"Come on then! Stand up! We don't have all day, and I don't wanna lose my job just 'cause you annoyed me to the point where I had to beat your sorry ass." The other guard snarled, gesturing towards the hallway directly behind him. I stood up hesitantly and started making my way slowly down the hallway. I didn't know exactly where I was going, so I kept moving straight, until one of the guards muttered roughly, "Turn left up here. There's a yellow door, go through it, and wait for further instructions." Instead of responding, I just continued down the hallway and turned left where I came face to face with said yellow door. I almost knocked but remembered the brute behind me said to just walk in. The door creaked violently when I pushed it open, and I almost ripped off the handle when I saw what was sitting behind it.

Zeref sat at the head of a long rectangular dining table, feasting on a breakfast big enough to feed a very fat, very wealthy king. I stood at the door, still dumbfounded by the sight in front of me when Zeref looked up and finally noticed my presence. He jumped up immediately and rushed over to where I was standing.

"Natsu, I am so glad you are finally here. I have big things planned for today, huge things actually, but I need you properly fed for those things to go smoothly. So take a seat and dig in" He gave me a wide smile and moved back to his seat. I didn't move, half confused, half skeptical of what was happening right now. Zeref took a few more bites of his food before looking back up at me expectantly. "I said, take a seat." He barked out, making me jump immediately into the seat across from him. Once I was seated he smiled once more and waved a hand across the abundance of food laid out. "Eat." He ordered, the commanding tone in his voice told me that there was no room for an argument.

I slowly reached out and started serving myself. I was still skeptical of the entire situation, but Mavis the food was tempting. Eggs, pancakes, waffles, bacon, sausage, toast, basically everything you find at a hotel breakfast buffet. And holy fuck did it smell amazing. I tried to contain my excitement, but it was rather difficult considering the fact that I have had the diet of a mouse for the past few months. I ended up loading my plate to the max and did as Zeref said. I dug in. The thought that this could be poisoned crosses my mind, but honestly, I don't care at the moment, because the bacon I just put in my mouth was probably the best thing that I have ever tasted. I basically inhaled the rest of my food and I heard Zeref chuckling at my antics, but screw him I was hungry. When all that was remaining on my plate was some crumbs and grease, I had to resist the urge to lick it clean.

Zeref chuckled again, "You may have seconds if you want." I looked at him for the first time since I started eating and I could see the encouraging glint in his eyes, prodding me to take him up on his offer. I almost did, but I could feel the bile in my throat start to rise. Shit. I ate too much to fast. I swallowed it down and shook my head at Zeref. He shrugged and continued to eat his food. The food I just ate was not settling well at all, and I didn't know how long I could sit here without puking up a lung. I looked around, trying to find a trash can or bucket that I could use, just in case. A loud clap interrupted my search, and my eyes darted to Zeref. He had his hands clasped together, an eager look on his face. "Well, are we ready for today's activities?" He chirped, excitement clear in his voice.

"What activities?" I anxiously asked, hoping he was going to say something along the lines of 'Oh, you know, maybe get Lucy out, shake hands, and let the both of you leave'. Fuck. Lucy. I completely forgot about her in the midst of my fine dining experience. And now that she was back in my mind, she was the only thing I could think of.

"Ah, well it's a surprise! I really do hope you like it Natsu, I have been planning for this to happen for a long time." The smile on Zeref's face was unnerving, and I decided then and there that I definitely did not want to partake in his 'activities'. He stood up and walked to the door, motioning for me to follow. He led me down an eerily dark hallway until stopping at a large metal door.

He looked back at me, the excitement almost radiating off of him, "Are you ready?" My stomach lurched at the look on his face, but I try my best to look excited, and feebly nodded my head yes. He punched a code into a metal box next to the door, which beeped with every button he pressed. It was one of those systems that made the door lock immediately after it closes, making me even more nervous for what was waiting behind that big hunk of metal. After about seven beeps, I heard the door unlock with an obnoxiously loud 'click'. Once the door was wide open, Zeref turned around and grabbed me by the bicep, pulling me inside the dimly lit space

The entire room was a plain white color, with only a single metal chair sitting in the center. The wall where the chair was facing was completely transparent, like glass, with TV screens lined across the top. The room on the other side of the transparent wall was dark but has enough light to tell that there's something there. I was still taking in my surrounds when I heard the metal door behind me shut. I whirled around and noticed that Zeref had left, locking me inside the creepy ass room. I contemplated whether I should sit or not, and ended up pacing the room for a good five minutes. I finally decided to sit in the chair but regretted my decision instantaneously.

When my butt and back were pressed against the surfaces of the seat, six metal straps emerged out of the edges of the chair, trapping me in place. Two along my torso, one around my chest, one around my neck, and two more across my thighs. I spazzed out a little in utter shock and grabbed on to the edge of the armrest. Stupid mistake. Eight more straps came out four on each arm. Two on the bicep, one in the middle of the forearm, and one on the wrist. I started to hyperventilate, not liking the feeling of being completely strapped down to a chair again. My legs started kicking frantically, but when they pressed against the legs of the chair, more straps came out. Three on each leg, two on the calf, and one on the ankle. Now that metal straps confined my whole body, I tried to calm my breathing. I needed to think.

I was stuck in a weird room, in a weird chair, and I didn't know how long I would be here, or what would happen to me in that time. Not the most pleasing situation in my honest opinion. I tried to struggle, just to see how strong these straps were, and came to a conclusion. The straps were pretty fucking strong. And me getting out of them by myself was a very unlikely outcome. So, I sat there (because what else was I supposed to do) and waited. I waited for what felt like fucking ever.

I swear I almost fell asleep when a blinding light flashed that made every sense of mine go on high alert. The light faded, and I saw that it came from the room on the other side of the transparent wall. My eyes finally adjusted, and I finally saw what caused the light. And shocker, it was none other than Zeref himself. He was standing rather close to the wall facing me, with a smile that sent chills up my spine. I looked at the other things in the room and saw that it looked exactly like the MP room where I was usually tortured. It had all the gadgets, all the scary spikey shit, and a cot with leathery looking straps on it placed right in the center of the room. I scanned for other people, but Zeref seemed to be alone.

"Hello Natsu." Zeref practically sang out, clearly audible despite the fact he was behind a wall. "I am truly sorry about the chair, but I needed to make sure you were confined and wouldn't move about as you please. I really think you'll thank me in the end actually because I know you won't want to miss this. Now, please, sit back, and enjoy the show." He gave a vile smirk and pulled something out of his pocket. I didn't know what it was, but he pushed some buttons, and I heard something croak open. Zeref clapped as if he was a kid that just received the birthday gift he had asked for.

A guard walked in, rolling in someone in a wheelchair.

Shit

SHIT.

Zeref walked over to Lucy, taking her hands and pulling her out of the chair. She was in nothing but her underwear, and I noticed she had a clean bandage covering her foot where she was shot the night before. Oddly, the bandage looked well wrapped, like they actually tried and wanted it to heal her wound.

"Natsu! Looky who it is! I thought you'd want to see her again, especially after last night. There's no time for you two to catch up at the moment, but you will be seeing a lot more of her for the next few weeks." He voice was laced with vicious enthusiasm. I didn't know what to do. He had Lucy, and was going to do Mavis knows what to her, and I was helplessly bound to a chair. I was completely useless, and all I could do was watch.

I opened my mouth to shout something, but instead of words coming out, my breakfast slid back up my throat and all over my front.

Zeref looked at me curiously, "Huh, I guess next time we'll have breakfast _after_ we start our activities." He nodded to himself as if agreeing with what he just said. "We'll clean you up after this was over, but for right now, just try and deal with it."

Zeref hoisted Lucy up, dragging her to the cot that was still in the center of the room. He forced her to lie on it, and strapped her in so she couldn't move her arms or legs. Instead of leaving her laying in it like a bed, he undid some hinges under where Lucy's head was placed and was able to tilt the surface of the board until she was vertical to the floor. He then pulled a chain down that was hanging from the ceiling and connected it to the top of the cot. Now I had a direct view of Lucy, her entire front completely open for me to see.

"There you go Natsu, I thought you'd appreciate this view a little better." Zeref chuckled darkly, moving over to a table in the back of the room. He rolled it over, revealing a stash of various types of knives spread out on the table's surface.

My eyes widened, the full realization of the situation hitting me at full force.

I felt like I was going to puke again.

Lucy was just staring at the ground, staying completely still. I just wanted to see her face. I needed to see her face. But she continued to stare at the ground, still as a statue. I wiggled some more, but it was no use against the restraints around me. I wanted to yell, to cry, to punch Zeref's face in. But I was stuck.

I was utterly _trapped_.

Zeref's side was facing me, and I saw him graze his fingers across the knives set out in front of him. He looked at them with the type of affection you'd show a cherished object.

He glanced at me, that affectionate look still plastered on his face, "So were we ready to begin?"

* * *

This was a little shorter than the other chapters, but that's because it would have been way too long if I kept going. Soo, I just decided to make what's supposed to happen next happen in the next chapter. And that chapter should be a pretty long one so don't get your panties in a wad.

Like always if you like this story please review and follow and all that ish.

And if you have any advice/constructive criticism or anything that's also welcome, as long as you aren't a dick about it.

Anywayy thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed, and I hope you continue to read.

XoxoAsh


	4. Eyes Open

_**Warning: The torture portion of this story starts with this chapter. It is somewhat vital to the story, but if graphic material disturbs you, feel free to click away. - XoxoAsh**_

* * *

" _Scratch slash slash, just look at that gash._

 _She'll come undone, that's half the fun._

 _Scratch slash slash."_

Zeref was humming some tune to himself while gazing lovingly at the various knives laid out before him. He looked like he had all the time in the world, and was going to go out of his way to use every single second of it.

And I was still stuck in this fucking chair, covered in my own puke.

I saw Zeref every now and then hover his hand over a particular knife, only to move it a few seconds later. On one hand, I was glad he was taking so long, that meant nothing bad was happening to Lucy. On the other hand, why couldn't he just _pick_ a _motherfucking_ knife already? I had been sitting, restrained, for about twentyish minutes just watching this guy stare at knives. If I could move my arms, I would have strangled myself by now.

As if he could read my thoughts, Zeref spoke in my direction. "Picking a tool for this occasion is rather difficult, especially when there's so many to choose from. I am sorry to keep you waiting this long, I just need this to be perfect," He said it lightly, like this was an everyday conversation and we were just talking about the weather over tea.

"Aha! I think this one is just right for the job. Don't you agree?" Zeref marched over to the glass holding up a dark knife. It was smaller in size and slimmed to a very precise point. It was one of those knives someone could hide in their boot and pull out whenever they needed to stab somebody in the back. "Ah yes. I like this one very much. You see, it's small, easy to control, and my, is it sharp." He smiled to himself, walking back towards Lucy without even waiting for me to reciprocate the conversation.

Lucy was still hanging from the cot, her body looking as limp as a doormat.

"Are you ready dear Lucy? Today you have an audience so please, make sure to smile," Zeref said with mock encouragement.

Lucy didn't respond, didn't even move to acknowledge the fact that Zeref had said anything. Maybe she was playing dead. That would be dumb of her, he would know if she were dead. Or maybe she was dead. Shit, I'd rather her be dumb than dead. Zeref put his hand next to her torso, and at that moment I saw her flinch away the tiniest bit. I didn't know whether to be relieved or even more worried.

Zeref traced the hand not holding the knife along Lucy's bare stomach, almost as if he was painting a picture with his fingertips. He then skimmed the point of the knife along the same path he had traced with his fingers moments ago. It wasn't deep enough to cut but left a thin white line in its wake. He then put the tip of the knife right under Lucy's collarbone. I saw her inhale a quick breath before Zeref pierced her skin. Lucy let out a screech and started jerking her body away from Zeref as much as she could.

It was the first time she had looked up since being brought into the room, and the only thing I saw in her eyes was pure terror.

"Don't touch her!" I managed to shout, despite the lump in my throat that seemed to be stuck there.

Zeref looked back at me, but only gave a slight twist of his lips before reaching out and wrapping his hand around Lucy's throat. Her eyes went wide, and her body started to jerk more violently.

"Now Lucy, we can't have you moving. You don't want me to cut anything vital now do you?" Zeref snarled at her, the veins in his arms visible from how hard he was squeezing Lucy's throat. "Say you won't move, I need to hear you say it," Zeref whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear.

Lucy moved her eyes to me, a sadness seeping through her stare that made my heart ache.

"I-I won't, I won't move," She whimpered out.

After the words left her mouth, Zeref removed his hand from her throat and nodded. "Good, good. Very good," He said, his attention moving back to the knife still puncturing Lucy's skin. A streak of blood had made its way down Lucy's body, forming a small puddle at the bottom of her feet.

Zeref started dragging the knife across her skin, carving out what looked like letters. Lucy stuck to her word and didn't move, didn't even scream. The agony was plain as day on her face though, and her tear-streaked cheeks were like a punch to the face.

I wanted to yell out, to say something, to do anything, but the entire situation left me immobile and mute. All I could do was stare.

Zeref was still carving some unknown word on her chest, moving painfully slow. Probably trying to drag this out for as long as possible. His body was covering hers, blocking whatever it was he was doing, making me more and more anxious with every passing second.

By the time he finally stepped a few feet back, admiring his handy work, Lucy's body from the chest down was covered in a sheet of blood. It was surprising she was still conscious, and that made me start to wonder what would happen if she passed out. Would he stop, or not even bat an eyelash?

My attention focused on what he had carved, and I started to choke on my own spit.

Written in large jagged letters on her chest was the word _For_ , and on her stomach was the word _Natsu_.

 _For Natsu_.

The phrase bounced back and forth in my head, playing on repeat. He wrote that because he knew it would sting. He knew it would remind me that he was only doing this to her _because_ of me. Lowly bastard.

My eyes shifted over to Zeref, who was already staring at me. He was smiling - a toothy grin that has a childlike joy to it.

"How do you like my handiwork? I think I did an exceptionally good job considering how many times she flinched. Also, that knife can be tricky to work with, and sometimes it goes a little deeper than I intend it to." He shook his head as if it was a shame his 'masterpiece' wasn't as perfect as he would have liked. "Pity really though, just how messy it can get." His head tilted slightly as if a new thought just occurred to him. "However, it can be kind of exhilarating, seeing her skin masked in red." He gave a thoughtful look in Lucy's direction and walked over to stand by her once again.

He started staring intently at the length of her body, hovering his hand over it like he did with the knives earlier. He then brushed his knuckles along the side of her torso, from where her ribs were to just past her hip. Lucy's face scrunched up from the contact, but she doesn't move.

"Red is the color linked with lust you know. It triggers desire and passion, sparks a type of energy. Funny how they always refer to clothes when they talk about that kind of thing. I think a woman in red, no matter how it's displayed," His lips morphed into a sickening grin, "is a desirable woman." He removed his hand from Lucy's torso, his knuckles now soaked with her blood.

His words were ringing in my ears, the weight of what he said like an actual force pushing down on me. He thought Lucy was desirable, especially when covered in blood. I wanted to throw up at the image now in my head, of a dark mages hand touching skin that he had no right to touch.

"YOU SICK SON OF A WORTHLESS SHIT EATING ASSHAT! LET ME OUT OF HERE SO I CAN CUT OFF YOUR OWN ARM AND SHOVE IT SO FAR UP YOUR ASS YOU CAN HIGH FIVE SOMEONE FROM YOUR MOUTH!" I screamed, my vision clouding with rage.

Zeref tsked, and shook his head with what looked like disappointment. "Now now Natsu, don't be like that. I'm only stating what everyone else is thinking."

Everyone else? As in me? I thought Lucy, the true Lucy, smiling and enjoying life was desirable. I thought Lucy, who stood up for her friends and never backed down from a fight was desirable. Lucy, who cried over spirits or a new book was what I thought of when someone said desirable. The only thing that came to my mind when I saw Lucy covered in blood was a deep and raw need for revenge. Revenge on whoever the scum bag was that was brave enough to leave even a single mark on her.

"Zeref, I won't say this again. Let. Her. Go. She has nothing to do with this." I was trying to keep calm; to have my voice sound as menacing as possible because whenever I screamed and cursed at him all he did was shake his _stupid fucking head_.

Zeref chuckled, "Oh my dear boy! How many times do I have to tell you? She is a key part in my plan, she has as much to do with this as you!" Zeref smiled widely, the crazy practically oozing off of him. "Also, she's rather nice to look at, don't ya think?" He said, adding a quick wink in my direction.

"I swear if you lay another one of your filthy fingers on her I-" My sentence was cut off by Zeref grabbing something off the wall. From where I was sitting, it looked like a baseball bat, but two times bigger and made of pure metal. Zeref patted the head of it in his hand as if he was measuring the weight, then suddenly turned to the nearest wall and swung. Once the bat connected with the wall, it made a loud _dong_ noise that echoed through the room. Zeref smiled once again and walked right behind Lucy.

He looked at me from over Lucy's shoulder and shouted, "You'll want to watch this." With that, he swung the bat behind him, pausing once it was fully in position. He leaned over to Lucy and - just loud enough for me to hear - whispered, "Moving and screaming is encouraged for this part." Lucy's eyebrows drew together in confusion as Zeref swung, the bat connecting to the spot right under her ribcage.

"NO!" I yelled, but my voice was drowned out by the blood-curling scream that emerged from Lucy's lips.

Zeref kept swinging the bat, hitting her in a variety of places, and Lucy responded exactly how he wanted her to. Each time the bat met her skin, she let out a scream or a plea for him to stop. After about five hits, Lucy was crying harder than she had this whole time, and Zeref was laughing. Not an 'Oh that was a funny joke' laugh, but a 'Haha I'm a psychopath who finds joy in beating the life out of puppies' laugh.

I couldn't stand to watch any longer, so I closed my eyes. I knew it wasn't fair to Lucy. I should have been watching this because it was my fault, but if I watched another second I didn't know how I'd ever look Lucy in the eyes again. With my eyes closed, however, I noticed the room went silent.

"Natsu? Are you closing your eyes?" Zeref's voice questioned, sounding like a curious child. I kept my eyes shut, refusing to acknowledge him in any way. Zeref clicked his tongue, "That's not a very good idea." I could hear him start to move across the room, meaning he was now more interested in me than he was in Lucy. Good, anything to give her a break.

"Natsu, Natsu, Natsu. I'm going to give you five seconds to open your eyes. I highly recommend it too, mainly because if you don't you're going to be wishing you could switch places with the lovely Lucy hanging over there. The least you can do is watch the spectacle she's putting on. What, does it bother you? Does the sight of her like this revolt you? I don't think that's very nice of you Natsu, especially when the only reason she's here is _for_ you. Show some respect instead of being such a little pussy about it." Zeref said it in a way that you would try to convince a friend to do a dare, but me being the stubborn little shit that I was, I kept my eyes closed.

"Really, you're going to make me do this?" Zeref said, his foot starting to tap rapidly against the ground. I kept my eyes shut, trying to drown out the annoying tapping and the agonizing pressure of Zeref's full attention.

"One," Zeref counted, his tapping never ceasing.

"Two," He counted again, this time his body shifted, but I was clueless as to what direction it's in.

"Three," He sounded more annoyed that time, his patience with me clearly slipping. I stood my ground though, refusing to open my eyes.

"Four," He practically shouted, and I felt a tremor of fear run down my spine.

He exhaled deeply, the disappointment evident in his voice as he uttered, "Five."

I heard the noise of a button being pressed, and immediately my eyes popped open with the lack of air suddenly going to my brain. The restraints around my neck, arms, legs, and torso had all tightened an excruciating amount, and it took everything I had to remain somewhat calm. A strangled noise comes from my throat, and the restraints started to ease up once again.

"Much better. Now, keep those eyes open long enough to watch our little show. Luckily for you, there are no commercial breaks to interrupt." Zeref said, his tone laced with sweet mockery.

As I tried to control my breathing, I kept my eyes on Lucy, and watched as the bat in Zeref's hand met her skin over…

and over…

and over…

* * *

Alright things are about to start picking up more which might not be a good thing for our characters...

Write a review, follow, yada yada yada you know the drill.

This was late but I hope you continue to read what my sorry ass has to write.

XoxoAsh


	5. Tired of Talking

" _Growl groan grunt, I hate to be blunt_

 _It's quite a shame, but part of the game_

 _Growl groan grunt."_

There was a sensation of my lungs squeezing together and my throat closing as if I was drowning on dry land. My body became fully alert and my eyes shot open as I noticed the stream of ice-cold water being doused over my head. I tried to jerk away, but the restraints around my limbs held me back. I turned my head to both sides, confusion clouding my mind as I took in my surroundings. Zeref was standing in front of me in the little bland room, the area behind the glass pitch black, Lucy nowhere to be seen. I didn't remember the torture session stopping, the last thing I saw being a bat connect with Lucy's skin for what seemed like forever.

I attempted to speak, to make any type of noise, but my throat was clamped so tightly only a rasped breath escaped my lips. Zeref stared at me, disappointment glazed over his black eyes, as my restraints started to loosen their hold and soon unlatched completely.

"Honestly Natsu, I would have guessed that you'd last at least a full twenty minutes before passing out. For goodness sakes, Lucy was the one getting the life wacked out of her and she lasted forty minutes! Shame though, if I'd noticed your unconscious state I probably would have stopped way before the one hour mark." Zeref clicked his tongue as if it was a pity he had to drag out hurting Lucy so long. He put down the bucket that had contained the water and reached his hand out, expecting me to take it to use as support out of the chair. I ignored his offer and attempted to stand myself, failing completely and ending up on the floor due to how unstable my legs were.

Zeref rolled his eyes and held out his hand once again. I glared at him, not willing to give him the satisfaction of helping me, and tried to stand a second time. I grabbed on to the death chair for support and heaved myself up with minimal leg wobbling. I shifted my eyes back to Zeref, but it seemed my small act of rebellion did little to faze him. He simply shrugged his shoulders and turned to walk in the direction of the door. I wasn't entirely sure whether or not I was supposed to follow him, so I remained where I was, still leaning against the stupid fucking chair.

Zeref's footsteps halted a little ways down the hall, and I heard him shout, "I would advise following me boy. This way, you may even have a chance to redeem yourself." The sound of his footsteps echoed through the hall, and I found enough willpower in me to move forward. It was a slow and painful walk down the dark corridor, but eventually, I caught up to him. When I did, he was standing outside of another room with a steel door latched closed. He turned his head to look at me and smiled before knocking on the door in a rhythmic pattern. The door opened, the crunch of latches unhinging themselves like firecrackers in my ears.

With a shove, Zeref pushed the door open completely and stepped inside the room. Hesitantly, I followed. Candles across the walls lit the room dimly and a musty sort of smell filled the air. There was nothing in the room besides the two of us, dirt covering the ground, and metal walls entrapping us inside. I think the confusion was evident on my face because I heard the faint sound of Zeref's laugh. I glanced at him, hoping my expression said enough.

Instead of answering my silent question, Zeref strode towards the door, shut it, locked it, and knocked in the same pattern as before. He then faced me and tilted his head, like a wild cat that just found it's prey.

"Natsu today is your lucky day. I bet you are awfully upset with me from all of the cruel games I've played with both you and your pretty little woman in the other room. I bet you hate me down to your core, am I right?" Zeref practically purred, the image of a cat still flashing in my mind.

I glared at him, not wanting to give him the gratification of being right.

He pursed his lips, but went on with his speech despite my lack of response, "Well, you see, I need you to hate me. Hate me with every bone in your body. That is why I'm doing this. Because if you hate me enough, then you might just be exactly what I need." He stepped toward me, so quickly I barely processed that he actually moved, and slapped me across the face. The action was so forceful that it caused me to stumble back and fall to my knees. I pressed one hand on my cheek as I supported my weight with the other and looked at Zeref through spotted vision. I could see the classic tilt of his head as he examined my response to his hit. He didn't say anything, just waited. He didn't give away any clues as to if I was supposed to reciprocate his actions or stay down.

Bending down to my level, Zeref clicked his tongue. He moved so his face was right in front of me, "Hit me. Hit me back. Come on. I know you want to. I can see it in your eyes, the way you _loathe_ me. Act on those feelings. Get the revenge you deserve. Do it. Hit me!" He screamed, each sentence louder than the last.

I still hadn't moved, hadn't even acknowledged that he'd yelled at me. Aggravated, Zeref grunted and grabbed my shoulder, pulling me closer to where his mouth was directly next to my ear.

"You're weak. You were the wizard that was known all across the country because of your spirit and brute power. But that was all a facade. You just wanted that reputation so people would think twice about messing with your precious Fairy Tail. But look around. Where are they when you need them most? More importantly, where were you? You left that redhead to almost die, and you left the little blonde one in the hands of me," He chuckled, "Honestly I don't know which of those two is worse." He leaned back, his eyes analyzing my every move. "And you couldn't save them. You couldn't save them then, and you can't save them now. Your weakness is that when you're helpless, you become nothing. Just an empty shell of the man everyone thought they knew." He cast his eyes down and stood up, his back now turned toward me. He took one step but halted suddenly.

With his back still facing me, he said under his breath, "Oh and the things I have planned for your little friend. You're going to wish you were strong enough. You're going to feel as broken as she does at this moment, hanging in that room, wounds still open from when I-" I interrupted him by kicking my leg out and swinging it to connect with his legs. The motion took him by surprise and he fell to the ground.

I stood up, the anger radiating off of me, and stumbled over to where he was still on the ground being supported by only his knees and elbows.

I clenched my fists. "You can call me weak. You can say I didn't save them. Because as much as it kills me, you're right. I didn't save them. But I'm not going to just stand here and while you gloat about you're sick torture plans. I can take a lot of shit; you can beat me till I'm broken into nothing. But if you stand there and laugh about the things you've done to my friends, you are gravely mistaken if you think I'm going to be the one that's broken in the end," I growled out, my voice as rough as gravel.

I reached down and grabbed Zeref by the front of his shirt, lifting him up so we were face to face. His head was down and he wasn't moving, so I shook the ever-loving shit out of him. "Nothing to say now? Where's all that vibrato you had a few seconds ago huh? You can dish it out but the minute I fight back you hide your face like a child. Pathetic," I released his shirt and shoved him a few steps away from me. He stood for a few seconds and started laughing. It wasn't a muffled laughter, it was the laughter that shakes a person's entire body.

I was getting really sick of this assholes laugh.

"Oh, Natsu. _There_ you are! I've been waiting for you, though I didn't plan for it to take this long for you to join me." He tilted his head back, letting out a shriek of what sounded like relief to the ceiling, "Well now that you're here, why don't we have some fun," He said with a smile, shifting his eyes towards mine.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked, upset that he wasn't even daunted by my actions. Instead of a response, I heard the click of metal unlatching. I glanced down at my wrists to see that they were bare and the bands that negated my magic were now on the ground.

I was free.

"I'm getting a little tired of talking aren't you?" Zeref whispered, a sickening grin stretching along his face.

I could feel the magic pulsing through my veins. The familiar feeling that had been absent for so long finally flowing like a river throughout my body. The heat that had been a part of my being since I was a child finally surfaced, and I rubbed my fingers together to test a spark. I didn't even have to look to know that it worked.

For the first time in months, I smiled.

* * *

Woooo we got a fight on our hands

I have no idea how to write fight scenes so this might take a bit, sorry

If you liked, please leave a review and follow or whatever because I like feeding my ego

Thanks for reading!

XoxoAsh


	6. The Game

**A/N | "/ / /" means there is a POV change, just fwi**

 _Rumble rumble roar, are you begging for more_

 _A dangerous test, so try your best_

 _Rumble rumble roar_

"Well Natsu, how does it feel?" Zeref taunted, a mock glint clouding his eyes. My only response was a grunt as I relished in the heat making its way through my body. It had been so long.

Too long.

The familiar feeling of power raced through me, like a dam that had just been broken. Zeref was still talking, but I blocked him out. I was too focused on my wrists. They were scratched up and raw, an unnatural pink color compared to the rest of my skin. Looking at my wrists brought back everything I had felt over the past three months.

All of the anger, the pain, the brutality I was put through all seemed to flash before my eyes as I stared at my wrists; my now naked wrists.

I looked up at Zeref through hooded eyes, and a purely animalistic growl reverberated through my throat. Zeref stopped his rambling and regarded me. Instead of being imitated by my stare, his lips turned up the slightest bit.

His smiling face only pissed me off more.

I focused on my power, the power I had never thought I'd live without, and lunged.

I hit nothing. Where Zeref had been standing was now a black cloud. I cursed, feeling stupid to think I could just attack without thinking. Zeref may be the scum of the earth, but he was painfully smart, especially when using his powers.

"Come now Natsu, all that power and your first move is to sprint at me. I expected more from you," Zeref said, the voice coming from somewhere behind me. I didn't acknowledge it, trying to find my bearings. Everything about this situation put the odds against me.

I was in Zeref's territory, I was much weaker than I was used to during a fight, I had no knowledge of the extent of Zeref's power, and I was pretty certain he knew every move of mine.

I slowly turned back around to meet Zeref's stare, and instead of lunging again, I smiled back.

The waver in his expression told me he wasn't expecting that response. I couldn't beat him from a distance, but if I got close enough, I may have had a chance. And, the only way to get close was to get him to come to me.

If he wanted to play games then fine, I'd play.

I clasped my hands behind my back, trying to take up an easy stance to seem relaxed. "Oh, please. Zeref, that was just a little warm-up," I said, lilting my voice to sound like he always did.

Zeref responded by squinting his eyes, obviously unsure of my tactics. Good, that meant he didn't have complete control. If I took away his control, then I took away his role as game-maker.

After a few moments, Zeref seemed to relax. He put his hands in his pockets and started walking in my direction. He gave me a thoughtful look, "Very clever young Natsu, trying to play my game. It won't work though. You can't beat the creator."

I stood my ground, keeping my body in that relaxed stance, and let him come to me. He was taking his time, still trying to examine my moves. Apparently, he suspected that I'd just attack relentlessly. However, he forgot that while I may not be the sharpest stick when it comes to fighting, I am the most dangerous. I took the time to map out the fight as he strolled over.

He was at ease, meaning his guard wasn't completely up. Cocky equaled sloppy. I needed to act like his bravado didn't scare me, making him doubtful. Doubt was just as bad as cockiness. Once he was close enough I'd start the conversation again. He liked to get in people's faces when he talked, so maybe I could get him close enough to make him unaware of his surroundings. When all of his focus was on me, I'd strike.

Zeref finally swaggered up to me, a mere few feet away, and held his hands up in a lazy fighting stance. I put on a face that I hoped seemed condescending, "Is that a fighting stance? Are we gonna duke it out like we're in a boxing ring? Is there a crowd somewhere? Maybe a half-naked lady walking around telling everyone which round it is?" I laughed, hoping he didn't see through the act.

Zeref only cocked his head to the side. He lowered his hands and put them back in his pockets. He followed my lead and graced his lips with a small smile, "If you really want a half-naked lady so bad, I could always go and fetch Lucy." His smile grew after the words left his mouth.

My eye twitched at the comment, but I knew he was just saying it to get under my skin. I moved a little closer, hoping he'd follow my actions. I didn't falter in my act and brushed off his words, "I'm a little disappointed in all honesty. I took you for someone who loved having an audience. Are we alone because you're scared you might not win? Is the almighty Zeref actually worried about going face to face with pitiful little me?"

As I'd hoped, Zeref stepped closer, leaving us only arms reach away from each other. My words didn't do what I wanted though, because his confident aura only seemed to intensify. My eyes moved to his right pocket, which still had his hand in it. He was fiddling with something, though I couldn't tell what.

"Natsu, I don't know how many times I have to tell you, I want you to beat me. I'd welcome it with open arms. I know however that I am too strong for you," He sighed, looking almost sheepish, "Unfortunately for you, when I fight, instinct takes over, and that natural urge to survive kicks in. I don't know how to just give in. I'm hoping soon you'll be able to defeat me. Today is just kind of a test run to see where you are. I hate to tell you I am not entirely pleased with the results."

I felt my grin slip from my face. I knew I wasn't what I was three months ago, but I wasn't completely helpless. I felt a bead of sweat fall down my face, the room suddenly hot.

Zeref stepped closer again, close enough for me to touch him without extending my arm completely. He leaned in as well, invading my space entirely, "Did I upset you? You seem to be getting quite heated over a couple of words."

I closed my eyes trying to focus. He needed to take two steps closer to be where I wanted him.

Zeref stayed leaning, almost whispering now, "You don't like being called weak, do you? I doubt you'd like being called a failure. I hate to inform you about this but its true. You failed. You couldn't save your friends and you can't save yourself. You're probably going to die here, by my hand. It'd be an unfortunate ending but, it can't be helped I suppose," He finished, pursing his lips at the thought of my death.

The temperature was still rising, Zeref's face now turning the slightest shade of pink. He was still too far. I tried to get the heat under control, not wanting to reveal how much his words were bothering me. I knew it was true, all of it, but hearing it out loud stung in the worst way.

Get it under control. Get it under control.

I needed to bait him, but everything I said he brushed off. Fuck, his presence was clouding my mind, I couldn't think. I said the first thing I could think of, "Then what? If I die, which you are so convinced will happen, then what are you gonna do? Are you gonna find someone else to try and defeat you?" I shuddered, a thought coming to me. "What are you gonna do with Lucy if I don't make it?"

I wanted to kill him before, but the delight that crept into his expression at the mention of Lucy made me want to downright _destroy_ him.

He took a long step forward to the point that our chests were touching. With delight still plastered on his face, he brought his lips right next to my ear and whispered, "I haven't actually thought it all the way through. I was originally going to kill her," His breath tickled my ear as he paused, "but now I think I could have much more fun with her. She does make the most _wonderful_ noises," He said, leaning back just enough to meet my eyes. "I wonder what noises she'd make if she was sprawled out und-"

His next words were cut off by my knee jerking into his groin. He flew back several feet, hitting his head more than once as he rolled ungracefully on the ground. The overall shock and power I added into the move by pushing flames from the bottom of my foot made the impact much more effective than usual. He was lying immobile on the ground, and I didn't hesitate to make my advance.

My foot, covered in flames, drew back and kicked him hard in the back. His body lunged forward from the force, but that didn't stop me from kicking him four more times.

He still wasn't moving, so I rolled him over and pinned him to the ground. His eyes were covered by long bangs, but his mouth was twisted up.

"Good to know there's still some fire in you," He rasped out.

I growled, a guttural noise at from the back of my throat and punched him square in the face. I could barely see through the amount of fire coming off my body, but I could still feel my fist make an impact.

I moved to sit on him so he couldn't get away and continued my assault of punching as he lied beneath me.

The lack of strength in my body started to show through in my movements. The flame was beginning to die down and my punches were becoming groggy.

It wasn't until a few more swings that I stopped to catch my breath. Through my panting, I checked on the harm I had caused Zeref.

The tips of his bangs were singed, and his clothes under me had burned almost completely away. Other than that, there wasn't a single scratch on him.

My attacks had done basically no damage.

His body started vibrating underneath me, and I saw his mouth break into a wide grin. He was laughing.

His laugh was enough to make me heat up again, but before my arm was lit, his mouth started to move.

"Very good. But now, it's my turn," He said, eyes full of raw malice becoming visible.

He chuckled once more before everything went dark.

/ / /

I felt his weight on top of me, his every breath echoing into my body. I blacked out the room, mostly as a scare factor, but he was quick. He lit up, less bright than before, illuminating the space around him. I was honestly getting so sick of the heat.

I whispered a spell under my breath and Natsu was encased in a dark orb. His eyes widened in surprise at his new cage and he began beating on it relentlessly. I dropped the veil of darkness I had set around the room and walked up to the orb. Natsu's fire was blocking me from seeing him directly, meaning I couldn't properly see the frustration on his face.

And that just wouldn't do.

To get rid of his flame, I began to shrink the orb. The smaller it got, the dimmer Natsu's flame became. Just as planned.

He was shrinking in on himself, trying to fit comfortably in his confines. His face was twisted in fear, and that kept me going. I shrunk the orb more, forcing him into a fetus position. If I shrunk it further, he'd be crushed.

The scream that came out of him jolted something in me.

My hands grazed the object in my pocket. I knew I was stronger than Natsu, but I also knew I needed him. So, I took precautions.

But the more I saw the pain on his face, the more I wanted to keep it there.

I shrunk the orb slightly more before he let out another agonizing scream. This one brought forth a voice in my head that tended to stay away during a fight. That voice took control and I clicked the button in my pocket.

Immediately my dark creations stormed into the room, making me lose my focus and causing the spell to break. Natsu was gasping on the ground as my many creations blocked me from getting to him.

The longer I couldn't see him, the blurrier the image became of his pained face. Without that image in my mind, I calmed down.

I told my creations to leave and slowly made my way over to the still gasping Natsu.

I looked down at him fondly, "Well that was fun. Want to play again?"

* * *

I was gone a while eh, but I am continuing this story. This chapter was a bitch to write because I can't write fight scenes so it still probably isn't great. But hey, it's the longest chapter and you got some Zeref POV. So that's something.

Also, I know Natsu may seem a little more like strategic than usual, but I like to think that he is smart during battle and not a total dimwit.

In other news, I edited the first five chapters of this story because 1)they weren't that great and 2)I completely fucked up with tense in each chapter. Literally, I switched between present and past every few paragraphs, sometimes even in the same sentence. Granted, that's like my main problem with writing but hopefully, I fixed it. I edit these myself so sometimes things slip by me.

Also Also, I added titles to each chapter because I thought it added a lil somethin somethin, so hopefully some of you like that.

I am done with this long ass A/N so yeah, please leave a review if you enjoyed and follow/favorite if you want

Thanks for reading and sorry I was gone so long

XoxoAsh


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